2023 Kia SORENTO PHEV
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2023 Kia SORENTO PHEV has 14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is other problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: i was sold a new car with open recall. the recall was announced on september 21, 2022 and the vehicle was sold to me as new on october 12, 2022 without any disclosure regarding the recall. vehicle sold as new not used..
14
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.2x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
OTHER
3 complaints- • I was sold a new car with open recall. The recall was announced on September 21, 2022 and the vehicle was sold to me as new on October 12, 2022 without any disclosure regarding the recall. Vehicle sold as new not used.
- • Yesterday I was driving and I heard an explosion above my head. I smelled smoke and heard glass rattling. I was shocked but held it together to cross 3 lanes of traffic on the freeway and safely get onto the break down area. I got out of the car, went to the passenger side and looked on top of th
- • While driving my 2023 Sorento plug-in hybrid a msg appeared that Charging Stopped Check Cable. When you stop the car and try to drive it will not go into any gear, msg says Shifting Conditions Not Met and Unplug Vehicle to Start and the wheels are locked up (E-brake) and needs a tow truck with dolli
“I was sold a new car with open recall. The recall was announced on September 21, 2022 and the vehicle was sold to me as new on October 12, 2022 without any disclosure regarding the recall. Vehicle sold as new not used.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
3 complaints- • We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu
- • 1. First incident occurred on 10/29/24. My wife pulled into driveway and placed car into Park. When she shifted to reverse, the transmission didn't respond and the car revved to a very high RPM when she took foot off of brake, no foot on gas. Unable to shift it to go forward or backward. She the
- • When trying to accelerate from a standing stop, there is a one or two second delay, once the accelerator pedal is depressed, before the car moves. Extremely dangerous when pulling out into traffic. I had it back to the dealership to address this problem but they found nothing wrong. I guarantee you
“We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
3 complaints- • We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu
- • 1. First incident occurred on 10/29/24. My wife pulled into driveway and placed car into Park. When she shifted to reverse, the transmission didn't respond and the car revved to a very high RPM when she took foot off of brake, no foot on gas. Unable to shift it to go forward or backward. She the
- • While driving my 2023 Sorento plug-in hybrid a msg appeared that Charging Stopped Check Cable. When you stop the car and try to drive it will not go into any gear, msg says Shifting Conditions Not Met and Unplug Vehicle to Start and the wheels are locked up (E-brake) and needs a tow truck with dolli
“We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
1 complaints- • We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu
“We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu”
— NHTSA complaint filing
STEERING
1 complaints- • The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal squeaking sound coming from the steering column. Additionally, the steering wheel felt tight while turning in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to
“The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal squeaking sound coming from the steering column. Additionally, the steering wheel felt tight while turning in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 14 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐OTHER: I was sold a new car with open recall. The recall was announced on September 21, 2022 and the vehicle was sold to me as new on October 12, 2022 without any disclosure regarding the recall. Vehicle sold as new not used.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: We were driving on the highway at about 65 MPH. Without warning, the vehicle suddenly started to struggle and slowed to about 40 MPH. We were able to safely pull over, but we were in an acceleration lane merging onto another highway and didn't feel safe due to the sudden deceleration. This is a plu
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Kia SORENTO PHEV — Year Comparison
How does 2023 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 14
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 0
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2023 Kia SORENTO PHEV